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Statistics: Gynecological Health at a Glance

Gynecological conditions and infections:

Virtually every woman is affected by a gynecological condition or infection at some time during her life. Consider the following:

Aside from AIDS, the most common and serious complication of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among women is pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). In the United States, more than one million women experience an episode of acute PID each year, with teenagers having the highest rate of infection. More than 100,000 women become infertile each year as a result of PID.

It is estimated that between 2 percent and 10 percent of American women - or 5.5 million women and girls - of childbearing age have endometriosis. This makes endometriosis more common than AIDS and more common than cancer. Endometriosis is one of the three major causes of female infertility.

Chlamydia, a sexually transmitted vaginal infection, is the most frequently reported infectious disease in the United States. However, 75 percent of women have no symptoms and may not seek healthcare. Left untreated, 40 percent of women will develop pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and 20 percent of these women will become infertile.

Gynecological cancers:

Consider the following gynecological cancer statistics from the American Cancer Society (ACS):

Cancer of the endometrium is the most common cancer of the female reproductive organs. It is estimated that 40,100 new cases of endometrial cancer will be diagnosed in the US in 2008, and about 7,400 women will die from endometrial cancer.

Ovarian cancer is the eighth most common cancer among women. It is estimated that about 21,650 new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed in the US in 2008. Ovarian cancer accounts for 3 percent of all new cancers in women and causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. It is estimated that there will be about 15,520 deaths from ovarian cancer during 2008.

The mortality rates for cervical cancer have declined sharply as Pap screenings have become more prevalent. About 11,070 cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed in the US during 2008. Some researchers estimate that noninvasive cervical cancer (also referred to as "carcinoma in situ") is nearly four times more common than invasive cervical cancer.

When vulvar cancer is detected early, it is highly curable. It is estimated that about 3,460 cases of vulvar cancer will be diagnosed in the US in 2008.

Vaginal cancer is relatively rare - responsible for about 3 percent of cancers of the female reproductive system. It is estimated that approximately 2,210 cases of vaginal cancer will be diagnosed in the US during 2008.